#52 1001 Things I'm Grateful For (#1-10)

In no particular order, but the first ones are always the easiest! LOL!

1. My amazing phenomenal husband. Sure, we've had our struggles and we don't always get along, but I can't get enough of this guy! He's my favorite! Really, I can't even express it. I love him so much. He's my bestest friend in the whole world and I'm so glad to be married to him forever.

2. My membership in the church. You know, even if it all were just the "opiate for the masses" as Karl Marx says (even though I know for sure that it isn't), I wouldn't mind. It makes my life so much more than just the day to day life that many people live. I know why I'm here. I know where I'm going. I know that I will be with my family for eternity. Life has meaning, pain serves a purpose, I have a reason to go through the day. And I know that someone is always watching out for me and guiding my life where I need to go.

3. My cat. Ok, this may sound so lame, but I really am grateful for him. He snuggles me every single night and greets me every morning when I wake up with some kisses on my nose. He comes when I call him, and he just knows when I need him to jump into my lap and lay there for a bit. And when he sits there and sucks his thumb (yes, he sucks his thumb!) and purrs, I feel so...perfect. I was told that cats do that when they were abandoned at too young of an age - I found him when he was maybe a week old - and it means that they are perfectly content. It is a way to mimic the nursing they were never able to do. I just love that little guy.

4. And if I say my cat, I need to say my dog too. She is the best dog anyone could ever ask for. She's so well behaved, and wants mor than anything to please us. She'll come and do anything, and loves nothing more than to lay by (on) our feet. She holds our feet with hers. It is so ridiculously cute! And she's always so excited when we get home, or wake up, or talk to her, or look at her, or do anything. She always makes me smile. I don't know what I'd do without her.

5. My house. We've put so much work into making this house beautiful, and I'm always just so happy to be at home. Everyone seems so much happier and healthier in this house - even the animals seem happier! We love living here, and I am so grateful to be blessed with our home. It is perfect for us, and I hope that we can stay here a really long time.

6. My sis-in-law Ambre. She's been living with us for a couple months now, and at first I wasn't sure what to expect because I'd only seen her a few times before she moved here, but I'm very glad she's here. It's great to have another source of estrogen here, and someone to talk to when I need a real source of reason (boys just don't get it sometimes!). Ambre is awesome, and I'm thrilled to have her as a sister!

7. Music. Music has always been a very big part of my life, and I love how much emotion it can express without having to necessarily use words, or how much more is conveyed through those words than just the words themselves. Music touches the very core of my being. When I listen, I can feel it in every cell of my body - the pain, the happiness, the strength, the sorrow, the peace. I've always said that I would rather be blind than deaf. I couldn't live without music.

8. The internet. I am always looking things up online. I love knowledge, and to know things - any random things. I couldn't survive without being able to look up answers to any crazy question that pops up into my mind. Google, IMDB, Wikipedia - these are all of my best friends.

9. Sundays. It just happens to be a Sunday as I write this, but I'm so glad to have a day to rest and relax and just be with the hubby all day. The day always starts out with some wonderful spiritual enlightenment, and is usually filled with yummy food, spending time with friends and family (or just the hubs), reading a good book or watching a fun movie, and, of course, a much needed nap. How could a day be any better?

10. My dad. We didn't get along very much growing up, and for a while I was pretty much convinced that he hated me and wished I was never born. It's only been in the last few months that I found out that wasn't true, and we've been really good friends. I see him at least every few weeks to go out to dinner, or have him over at the house, or go do something fun. I'm so glad for this new opportunity to get to know him. He's an amazing person and I'm so glad to have him as my daddy.